Choosing the Right Dog Breed For Your Family

Choosing the right Dog breed for your family and current living situation is not quite as easy as it might seem. Some people are under the impression that all Dogs were created equal, and that all dogs act the same so they base their decision on selecting a dog breed purely on aesthetics.

Sure, that puppy in the window may have the look you are after, but are you ready for the genetics that come with it? Not only may they have a genetic affinity or tendency to act in a certain manner, but they may also have breed specific medical concerns you might not be aware of.

Contrary to popular belief, some dogs really are healthier than others. Some dogs are better with children, easier to train, more affectionate, protective, or more independent than other particular breeds. The list goes on, and you are responsible for doing the research.

The fact of the matter is that a majority of the canines today have been carefully bred so that they oftentimes have less in common with each other than lets say, a mouse has in common with an elephant. That might be a little extreme, but I think you get the picture.

One really needs to thoroughly research the breeds so that they can evaluate them on merits other than their looks to get a better idea of what they are getting into. One might wonder why a blood hound won't listen when you call their name while out on a walk. It has more to do with their instinct to pick up and follow a trail until they reach the end of it than anything else. They were designed to be that stubborn, and it will take a whole lot of patience and training to reverse that trend.

Some people don't believe there is a dog that is right for them, and have decided they dislike man's best friend. I would urge them to do a little more searching, and look a little further than they have before. There really is more to a pet than meets the eye, and there is such a wide variety of breeds that I believe there is a dog that is right for everyone.

They just have to know where to look.

About The Author

Garett Flores is a Pre-Veterinary student at California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo. He has combined his love of animals and computers to create web pages focusing on basic animal husbandry for pet parents.

http://www.dog-breed-dictionary.com consists of breed specific profiles for prospective pet owners.

http://www.pet-care-portal.com is a site concentrating on lesser kept pets, such as Ferrets, Lizards and Snakes.